RELATED NEWS

Vietnamese celebrities have put on nail polishes featuring rhinos and other images to support a campaign which raise awareness that rhino horn is made of the same substance as nails.

“Polish nails to save rhinos” is an online contest held by Wild Aid Vietnam, which works against wildlife trade, to send out the message that rhino horns are mostly made up of keratin like human nails and hair and have no medical magic.

The contest aims to stop the widespread belief fueling rhino poaching that the animal’s horn can cure serious diseases including cancer.

Rhino species are being pushed to extinction worldwide while the last Java rhino in Vietnam, one of the world’s main markets for rhino horns, died in 2010.

Vietnam's famous actress Hong Anh show hand polishes she did in support of Wild Aid Vietnam's contest. Photo credit: Wild Aid Vietnam

Vietnamese actors, singers and songwriters have supported the contest by posting photos of them wearing rhino and other polishes on Facebook.

Anyone across Vietnam can join the contest by polishing their nails or designing nail polishes and post the image on their Facebook page by April 20. Rhino-related designs are highly recommended.

The post has to be public, carrying one of the hashtags #cuutegiac (save rhinos), #wildaidvietnam, #nailart and tags Wild Aid Vietnam’s Facebook page, which means the person needs to like the page first.

Three first-prize winners will receive a stuffed rhino, a Wild Aid Vietnam T-shirt and a nail kit.